WP,pg1: "WH could cite no Democrat who has proposed cutting off funds...

or suggested that withdrawing from Iraq would persuade terrorists to leave Americans alone."

Bush Team Casts Foes as Defeatist
Blunt Rhetoric Signals a New Thrust
By Peter Baker and Jim VandeHei
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, August 31, 2006; Page A01

President Bush and his surrogates are launching a new campaign intended to rebuild support for the war in Iraq by accusing the opposition of aiming to appease terrorists and cut off funding for troops on the battlefield, charges that many Democrats say distort their stated positions.

With an appearance before the American Legion in Salt Lake City today, Bush will begin a series of speeches over 20 days centered on the fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. But he and his top lieutenants have foreshadowed in recent days the thrust of the effort to put Democrats on the defensive with rhetoric that has further inflamed an already emotional debate.

Bush suggested last week that Democrats are promising voters to block additional money for continuing the war. Vice President Cheney this week said critics "claim retreat from Iraq would satisfy the appetite of the terrorists and get them to leave us alone." And Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, citing passivity toward Nazi Germany before World War II, said that "many have still not learned history's lessons" and "believe that somehow vicious extremists can be appeased."

Pressed to support these allegations, the White House yesterday could cite no major Democrat who has proposed cutting off funds or suggested that withdrawing from Iraq would persuade terrorists to leave Americans alone. But White House and Republican officials said those are logical interpretations of the most common Democratic position favoring a timetable for withdrawing troops from Iraq....

***

The White House strategy of equating Democratic dissent with defeatism worked during the 2002 and 2004 elections, but it could prove more difficult this time. Some Republicans, such as Rep. Christopher Shays (Conn.), line up with Democrats in seeking a timetable for a withdrawal from Iraq....In an interview yesterday, Shays said the charges by Cheney and Rumsfeld are "over the top" and unhelpful. "The president should be trying to bring the country together and not trying to divide us," he said....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/30/AR2006083003177.html?sub=AR

Here's the Suburban Guerrilla response:

http://susiemadrak.com/2006/08/31/08/40/thrusting/

there can be no "premature withdrawal", this is a crime against humanity.

No more than in a rape can there be "premature withdrawal".

Am i for cut and running? Damn right!

Rep. McGovern has offered bills that would cut off funding for this criminal action.

This is a pre-emptive move by the RW to stop what they know will begin at some point. Congress will have to cut off the money for this clusterfuck.

Its what ended Viet Nam...congressional war funds cuts.They had no choice but to withdraw, after 15 fucking years of crazed blundering idiocy

this war to last well into a Democratic admnistration in the white house. Hope i am very wrong.

After which we thought this thing would never happen again. We thought we learned our lesson. We thought we had grown wiser. And here we are: 25 years later and we're doing the same fucking thing!"

That's the crime against humanity!!!*

________
*I don't mean to downplay the crimes committed by the Bushistas--they need to stand trial. But that we allowed this all to happen again is as serious as their crime(s), if not moreso...

What is the world coming to when the White House can't just make unsubstantiated smears against its political opponents and have the media echo chamber just parrot the lines? Don't they know how much it helps the terrorists when the White House has to produce evidence for its irresponsible accusations?

I also note that the Post cites Republican Sen. Shays from Connecticut as a dissenter against the Bush plan to keep hitting our collective hands with a hammer (because it will feel so good when we stop). Will "loyal Democrat" Joe Lieberman accuse his fellow Nutmegger, a Republican, of undermining America as he has for other Democrats?

....sys WH & Republican officials......Yes, those are the interpretations of mindless fascists!

Until your breakfast/lunch has settled.